F A L L 2 0 11
P r o g r a m
A new era
for heart cath
patients
Page 3
P l a n n e r :
P u l l o u t
c a l e n d a r
i n s i d e
Health News
& Information
for Healthy
Living
Her gastric
bypass was
‘absolutely
worth it’
Page 6
It tak‘Itestakes a village…’
team
wor
k
Trauma Service
The following interventional cardiologists (from left) perform
invasive
catheterization procedures: V. Janakiraman,
marks
10heart
years
M.D., Mukul Bahtnagar, M.D., George Jabbour, M.D., Haitham
Hreibe, M.D., Hany Shanoudy, M.D., Mario Poon, M.D., and Alan
Ford, M.D. lives
of saving
Pages 4 & 5
F A L L 2 0 11
Healthy Good dental health
Living begins before birth
Altoona Regional’s Healthy Living Magazine is published
four times a year by
the Marketing and
Communications
department.
President/CEO
Jerry Murray
Chief Operating Officer
Ronald J. McConnell
Director, Marketing and
Communications
Dave Cuzzolina
Staff Writers
Patt Keith
Anne Stoltz
Designer
Chip Mock
Mock Creations LLC
For more information, please contact:
Altoona Regional Health System
Marketing and Communications
620 Howard Ave.
Altoona, PA 16601-4899
889.2271
[email protected]
If you are not receiving
Healthy Living Magazine in
the mail and would like to,
you need to join the
Healthy Living Club.
It’s free, and the
magazine is just one of
the many benefits!
Join online at
www.altoonaregional.org
or call 889.2630 or
1.888.313.4665.
2
It’s a common complaint: “Bad teeth run in my family.”
And now the complaint has some science behind it.
Research has shown that a mother passes along harmful
bacteria to her children during their first months of life.
But it doesn’t have to be that way, according to Donald
J. Betar Jr., D.M.D., clinical director of Altoona Regional’s
Partnering for Dental Services.
“This generational bacterium is primarily spread from
mother to child because of their close relationship with
each other, and is also spread among siblings,” Dr. Betar
said. “It spreads through kissing, sharing bottles and
toys.”
The solution to breaking the cycle of a less-than-brilliant
smile starts before — or even during — the second or
third trimester of pregnancy.
Education needed
“If we can see women with noticeable dental problems at
our adult dental clinic before they get pregnant or during
pregnancy, then we can start educating the mother-to-be
on how to properly take care of her own teeth, as well as
the importance of dental care to both her and her child,”
Dr. Betar said.
“If you have a healthy mouth in the mother, then you will
have a healthy mouth in the child. We can also teach
her the importance of bringing in her 1-year-old to the
pediatric clinic for his first checkup.”
Dr. Donald Betar discusses dental care with Tomaline Borden and
talks to her about the services available to her and her children at
the dental clinics.
while pregnant. Instructions on daily flossing made the
greatest impact on Tomaline, and she is flossing daily.
At that visit, parents learn how to care for the infant’s
teeth properly. If children are not seen until they are 3 or
4, Dr. Betar said, they often have many cavities and need
extensive treatment.
Studies show that about 12 percent of adults age 20-64 have not been to a dentist in the last five years. Dr. Betar
said it is his experience that a lack of money and/or
insurance is the top reason for not visiting a dentist.
“Our ultimate goal is to prevent dental disease before we
have to treat it,” he said.
Other reasons adults say they avoid the dentist include:
• Fear
And that is why it is so important to reach mothers-to-be
like Tomaline Borden, 23, of Altoona, who is expecting her
third child in late October.
• The feeling that a healthy mouth is unnecessary to overall health
Checkup at adult clinic
Regardless of the roadblocks, Dr. Betar said, adults need to see a dentist.
Tomaline said she is fortunate her mother told her about
the adult clinic because she needed to have her teeth
checked after being without insurance for six months.
The dental staff cleaned Tomaline’s teeth and emphasized
the importance of brushing, flossing and having checkups
• Lack of time
“Proper brushing daily, especially before bedtime, flossing to remove debris after meals, and twice yearly dental visits
are the cornerstones to a healthy mouth — no matter what the age,” Dr. Betar said.
Dental clinics for children & adults
Altoona Regional’s Partnership for a Healthy Community-Partnering for Dental Services operates two dental clinics dedicated to improving the dental health of patients with Medical Assistance and for low-income families meeting the clinics’ criteria and financial guidelines.
Of the 95 free or reduced-fee clinics on the Pennsylvania Dental Association’s Web site, Altoona was the only non-metropolitan
center that offered both free pediatric and adult clinics.
Please contact one of our clinics for information or to schedule an appointment:
Adult Dental Clinic • Partnering for Dental Services • 501 Howard Ave., Suite D103, Altoona • 889.6420
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday • For Blair County residents only
Offering: • exams • X-rays • cleanings • fillings • extractions • dentures • partials • crowns
Accepting: • ACCESS • Gateway • Unison-MedPlus • UPMC for You (Adult Basic)
JAmes W. Barner CommunitY Pediatric Dental Clinic
• Partnering for Dental Services • 1500 4th Ave., Altoona • 946.8929
Program Alert!
8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Friday
Dental Health and You
Offering: • exams • X-rays • cleanings • fillings • extractions • parent education
Accepting: • ACCESS • Gateway • Unison-MedPlus • UPMC for Kids See calendar insert for details, • UPMC for You (Children) • Aetna for Kids • Geisinger for Kids • United Concordia CHiP
date and time
Heart muscle
Powered
by latest
technology,
new cath labs
enhance
patient safety
and outcomes
Heart catheterization
remains the gold standard
in diagnosing coronary
artery disease.
With two new cardiac
catheterization laboratory
suites on the Altoona
Hospital Campus, area
residents have access to
the very latest equipment,
operated by experienced
cardiologists and
supporting staff.
“The new facilities
place us on the leading
edge of the newest
technology available,”
said Dr. V. Janakiraman,
medical director for
Cardiology. “The new
space will increase patient
satisfaction, with more
privacy, and enhance the
flow of patient care.”
The cath labs opened
in May and will be
followed by the opening
of two more new labs
in November to meet
the demand of an aging
population of baby
boomers.
“… the real benefit is to (patients’) health.”
A $4 million investment
“The four labs represent
a $4 million investment in
cardiology services and
show the health system’s
continued commitment
to the community,”
said Sharon Ciccarella,
administrative director of
Cardiology.
Catheterization labs
are for diagnostic
catheterizations,
coronary stentings
and electrophysiology
studies, such as device
implants and ablations.
Nine cardiologists, called
invasive cardiologists,
have additional training to
perform these advanced
procedures.
Along with Dr. Janakiraman,
the 27 members of the
cath lab team are also
loving the beautiful
construction and design
of the new space, said
Gan Pettenati, R.N., nurse
manager, who said the team
“is dedicated to providing
excellent care to our
patients.”
Less radiation exposure
Chief technologist Amy
Stevens, registered
cardiovascular invasive
specialist, said, “While
patients will see and
appreciate the modern
look and feel of the rooms,
the real benefit is to their
health. And staff sees a
major benefit in the new
equipment.”
Technology coordinator
Christopher Suomela,
Dr. V. Janakiraman (standing, left)
simulates a cath lab procedure on
“patient” Dennis McArthur of Altoona.
The state-of-the-art technology in the
new lab provides many advantages,
especially clearer imaging.
Assisting him is cath lab technician
Jennifer Zurin.
registered cardiovascular
radiologic technologist,
agrees. “The X-ray system
has a unique rotation scan
that allows for one-arc
imaging technology, which
reduces the patient’s
radiation exposure and
decreases the contrast
dosage needed. And
we still get enhanced
imaging.”
The system offers better
image clarity and overall
quality, and more tools to
further enhance the image.
Cardiologist Hany F.
Shanoudy, M.D., who
practices with Cardiology
Associates of Altoona,
extols the system’s virtues
for other reasons.
Allows for PAD check
“For us, the cardiologists,
everything is in one area
and it is not as cramped
to work in,” he said. “But
most important, for our
patients, we have a new
feature on this updated
equipment that was not
available before. It allows
us to check for peripheral
artery disease, also called
PAD. We use this option for
patients whose symptoms
indicate there may be a
problem. PAD is a growing
trend, so this is a very good
thing to have.”
The former Altoona Hospital
installed the first dedicated
cath lab in 1982. When
open-heart surgery came
to the hospital in 1989, the
facility added a second cath
lab. It added a third in 1999.
Sharon, who is retiring
next year, has seen many
innovations at the hospital
during her 31 years in
cardiology: open-heart
surgery, electrophysiology,
cardiac stenting and radial
(through-the-wrist) caths.
“But this project is the
capstone,” she said. “I know I am leaving with
the patients receiving
excellent treatment from an excellent staff.”
The following interventional cardiologists (from left) perform
invasive heart catheterization procedures: V. Janakiraman, M.D.,
Mukul Bhatnagar, M.D., George Jabbour, M.D., Haitham Hreibe, M.D.,
Hany Shanoudy, M.D., Mario Poon, M.D., and Alan Ford, M.D.
Other interventional cardiologists are Michael Larkin, D.O.,
and Craig Brandt, M.D.
3
2
Trauma at 10:
Putting bodies and lives bac
Service
thrives on
teamwork,
training,
dedication
Altoona Regional Health
System’s Trauma Service
touches lives every day.
The program, which
celebrates its 10th
anniversary Oct. 1, has
treated more than 11,000
patients, impacting not
only their lives but the lives
of all those close to them.
This anniversary is also an
opportunity to recognize
the people committed to
providing optimal trauma
care — a closely knit
team of highly trained
and dedicated trauma
surgeons, specialty
surgeons and many other
health care professionals
who pursue excellence in
their own fields to better
serve their patients.
“These highly trained and
dedicated professionals
go above and beyond
to provide the full,
comprehensive care we
would want our own family
members to receive,”
said Simon Lampard,
M.D., trauma surgeon and
Trauma Service medical
director. “We provide all
these essential resources
for every trauma patient,
every day.”
Staff make program work
He is quick to credit staff
for the program’s success.
AbOve:
Dr. Lampard leads
a trauma simulation
in 2001.
On the cover:
On the Trauma Center helipad
are representatives of the more
than 30 hospital departments
that have a hand in making
the Regional Trauma Service
exceptional.
4
“Being a trauma center
is not just about the
trauma surgeons,” he
said. “It’s about the
huge cadre of people
around you, like Trauma
Service and ED staff,
OR, PACU, 5E, T-11, T-14
Surgical, SPCU, STICU,
Case Management,
Occupational, Physical
and Speech therapies,
Radiology, Respiratory
Therapy, Laboratory
Services, Blood Bank,
Pharmacy, Nutrition
Service, Pastoral Care and
Rehabilitation liaisons.
“In addition, there is the
exceptional teamwork
between the trauma
surgeons and all the local
specialists, including
emergency medicine,
orthopedic surgery,
neurosurgery, facial
specialists (ENT and plastic
surgery), vascular surgery,
cardiothoracic surgery,
radiology, anesthesiology
and physiatry.
“Their support has been
tremendous over the years.
Without them, many of
our trauma patients would
have had to be transferred
to trauma centers in
Pittsburgh, Geisinger and Hershey.”
Volume exceeds
projections
Denise Gdula, Trauma
Service administrative
director, said that when the
center opened, projections
indicated it would see 600700 patients a year. The
first year, it saw almost
900 and since then has
averaged more than 1,100
patients a year.
While the faces change, the leading causes of
injuries remain the same:
motor vehicle crashes, falls, motorcycle crashes
and all-terrain vehicle
crashes.
Dr. Lampard recalls a
recent patient from a motor
vehicle crash who was
flown in by STAT MedEvac,
Altoona Regional’s air
ambulance service. The
patient suffered multiple
life-threatening injuries
when his car rolled over.
He was bleeding from
his spleen and heart
and required immediate
surgery.
‘Golden hour’ critical
In trauma situations,
receiving care during the
“golden hour” — the first
hour after injury — is critical
to survival.
ack together
“This patient sustained an
incredibly rare injury to the
left side of his atrium (a
chamber of the heart),” Dr.
Lampard recalled. “This
injury, called a ‘blowout,’
happens during the
millisecond when the heart
is filled with blood and the
injury occurs. Survival from
this incredibly rare blunt
force injury, in and of itself,
is approximately 20 percent.
Life-threatening injuries to
his lungs and spleen further
complicated his care.”
Dr. Lampard said he and
another trauma surgeon, Dr. Arthur DeMarsico, and
heart surgeon Dr. John
Anastasi operated on the
patient together.
“That patient walked out
of here because of the
availability of three highly
trained surgeons,” Dr. Lampard said. “This
would not have happened
10 years ago as we
embarked on this program.
These types of success
stories happen because of
the teamwork that develops
as a trauma center matures.”
‘It takes a village...’
The head of the accrediting body for trauma systems
statewide says “it takes a village to heal a trauma patient”
and has high praise for Altoona Regional’s Trauma Service,
starting at the top.
“First and foremost, credit goes to the board and
administration, who are willing to support the financial needs
of a trauma program to purchase state-of-the-art equipment
and recruit the right people,” said Juliet Geiger, executive
director of the Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation
(PTSF).
She also has high praise for Altoona Regional’s medical
director and administrative director.
“A trauma program physician-leader such as Simon Lampard
combines passion, integrity and clinical expertise to guide
the team toward excellence,” she said. “This excellence is
not just noted internally but on a statewide and national level.
“And a trauma program nurse-leader such as Denise Gdula
supports every facet of the program, facilitating and guiding
communications among all the physician subspecialists,
nursing staff, support staff, EMS and outside facilities.”
Juliet added: “Each member of a trauma team is invested
in healing the injured patient and in helping each other do
that. Being part of a highly functioning trauma team means
not only caring for the patient but caring for your fellow team
members, which Altoona excels at.”
One man’s story:
‘The trauma team...made a real difference’
Charging up a hill on his two-rider ATV was normally uneventful for Craig Rowland.
But the ride up a hill at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, June 6, was different. Craig lost control of the
800-pound ATV and it ran over him, breaking 12 of his ribs and knocking him unconscious.
“I woke up badly hurt,” he recalled. “There were tire tracks across my chest.”
Craig, who hails from the state of Indiana, was vacationing at Treasure Lake in DuBois when
the accident occurred. First responders had to carry him down the hill so he could be flown
to Altoona Regional’s Trauma Center by Stat MedEvac.
Double breaks in two ribs
“In less than two hours, I was being assessed at Altoona’s Trauma Center,” he said. “Turns
out I had double breaks in two of the ribs. Dr. Lampard said I earned extra credit for that!”
To alleviate his pain, Craig was put on a morphine drip and was later given a spinal epidural.
He was admitted to the hospital’s Surgical Progressive Care Unit for close monitoring and
waited for his wife of 30 years, Sue, to arrive from home.
“On Day 3, I began to experience excruciating pain,” Craig said. “I couldn’t breathe without it hurting. I thought I was going to die.”
This setback — a common one with rib fractures — resulted in his transfer to the Surgical
Trauma Intensive Care Unit (STICU) for more specialized care.
“They put me on a BiPAP machine that forced me to breathe through the pain,” he said.
“Fortunately, the machine (and the staff) did its job. I never had to be put on a ventilator.”
Steadily recovering
Craig underwent respiratory therapy for three days in the STICU before he was well enough
to be moved to a regular nursing floor. He was discharged on Day 10, and reports being on a steady road to recovery.
“Personally, I think I’m doing phenomenal,” he said. “I am convinced the trauma team
impacted my outcome and made a real difference in my recovery.”
As a vice president of a medical
malpractice insurance company,
Craig has been working with health
care providers for nearly 30 years. He
recognizes when staff go above and
beyond, and in his opinion, represent the
best-in-care standard.
“Those clinicians — all 20 of whom I
met during my stay — they really set a
benchmark for quality of care,” he said.
“Not one of them didn’t know my name;
didn’t have a basic appreciation of my injury;
were unhappy with what they were doing.
“They were compassionate. They kept my
This photo was
family informed. Their continuity of care provided by trauma survivor
was impressive,” he said. “Each helped me
Craig Rowland, who wrote: “This is the bike
maintain a positive attitude after my initial that rolled over on me, allowing me to meet all
setback. Altoona Regional really has a the good people at Altoona Regional. Maybe
we could have picked a different way.”
good thing going on.”
About the trauma physician practice
Altoona Trauma/Emergency General Surgery is a unique physician practice that
provides care to trauma patients and general surgery patients, especially those who
need acute surgical care resulting from medical/surgical disease or injury.
This service also manages the critical care of patients in the Surgical Trauma
Intensive Care Unit. The 24/7 in-house availability of the service’s exceptionally
trained trauma/general surgeons, along with the service’s physician
assistants, provides immediate care for trauma/emergency general surgery
patients as well as the ongoing management of their care throughout their
inpatient hospitalization and beyond.
Altoona Trauma/Emergency General Surgery strives to improve not only the timeliness of care but also overall patient care and outcomes.
Members of Altoona Trauma/Emergency General Surgery include (from left): first row —
Andrew Kennedy and Sheila Burk, physician assistants; Arthur DeMarsico, D.O., a registered physician in vascular interpretation and a fellow of the American College of Osteopathic Surgeons, and Jeannette Capella, M.D., and Simon Lampard, M.D., both fellows of the American College of Surgeons; second row - Johannes Schokker, M.D.; Eric Bridenbaugh, William Weikert and Vincent Capone, physician assistants, 5
and Alex Guerrero, M.D.
Embarrassment at theme park leads to a life-changing decision
Lora Caretti of Loretto
doesn’t take the thrill of
riding a roller coaster for
granted. When she was
in her late 30s and at her
all-time high in weight, she
faced the awkwardness of
not being able to fit into a
coaster’s seat at Six Flags
and had to leave the ride.
“That was really what did
it,” recalled Lora, now
41. “Obviously, I was
embarrassed. I started
feeling helpless about my
health. I made up my mind
that I was too young to let
this be happening.”
Before
After
“… [gastric
bypass] is
absolutely
worth it.”
To find out more about
the weight loss procedures
available at Altoona Regional’s
Bariatric Surgery Center,
call 889.7300 or visit
www.altoonaregional.org/bariatric.
daughters — Hayley, Jody
and Rachel.
“I love horses, and enjoy
riding and showing them,”
she continued. “As my
weight increased, I spent
less and less time riding. I got tired of not being able
to do it. I had too much
I wanted to accomplish.
I chose the weight-loss
option that I believed would work for me.”
Although gastric bypass
surgery reduces stomach
size and limits the calories
that can be absorbed,
becoming slim and healthy
is not a guarantee. But Lora had unsuccessfully
fought obesity since college. Lora was prepared for In June 2008, she had Roux- the challenge.
en-Y (pronounced ROO-en- Doing it for herself
why) gastric bypass surgery
“Before I went into surgery,
performed by Dr. Matthew
I made a commitment to
Newlin, medical director of
myself that I was going
Altoona Regional’s Bariatric
to change the way I
Surgery Center. In the short
approached food,” she said.
span of a year, she lost
“First and foremost, I was
approximately 120 pounds,
doing this, losing the weight,
and her appearance rapidly
for myself!”
changed.
Lora returned to work just
“I felt like I exhausted my
a week and a half after the
options,” she said. “I had
bypass surgery, which tried everything. I’d get down
Dr. Newlin performed using
20 pounds and couldn’t go
laparoscopic instruments
any further. And I’ll be the
through six small incisions.
first to admit I don’t enjoy
Her careful attention to
typical exercise.”
eating well-balanced meals
‘Controlling my life’
and getting her vitamin
and mineral levels checked
With a background in
ensured that she didn’t
medicine (Lora has been a
registered nurse with Altoona suffer from malnutrition. And as time went
Regional for more than 20
by, her excess
years), she knew that the
weight (and
excess weight she carried
knee pain)
increased the likelihood
began to
she would develop health
disappear.
problems in the not-sodistant future.
“Before I knew
Lora said. “I can ride a horse
for over two hours now and
not experience pain in my
knees.
“I take daily walks on my
lunch break and joined an
archery league — I finished
in third place! And last fall, I was able to climb into a tree stand to shoot a sevenpoint buck with my bow.”
Surgery only a ‘tool’
Lora would recommend
gastric bypass surgery to
anyone who is ready and
willing to make a change
in his or her life. Her job at
Altoona Regional’s Surgical
Pretesting department allows her to share her
success story with other
bariatric patients before their own surgeries.
“I emphasize that you must
make an effort and change
your lifestyle to ensure a
good outcome,” she said.
“The surgery is only a tool.
You have to be compliant,
but it is absolutely worth it.
“Now when I climb into a
roller coaster, I find myself
thinking back to that day
at Six Flags,” she said. “As humiliating as it was,
it’s exactly what needed
to happen to push me in a healthy direction.
“Someday soon, I plan on
returning to Six Flags to
ride that very same rollercoaster. I want to smile as I buckle that belt!”
“The weight was controlling it, I was literally
back in the
my life,” she said. “I
saddle again,”
experienced constant knee
pain. I tired easily, and it
was hard to do the things
I wanted to do with my
husband, Tony, and our three
Meet our team
Matthew E. Newlin, M.D., FACS • Medical Director, Bariatric Surgery • Surgeon
Scot A. Currie, D.O., FACOS • Surgeon
To find out more
about the weight loss procedures available at Altoona
Regional’s Bariatric Surgery Center, call 889.7300 or
visit www.altoonaregional.org/bariatric.
Tama Rice, R.N., B.S.N. • Bariatric Coordinator
Altoona Regional’s Bariatric Surgery Center counsels patients through a support system of physicians, clinicians, dietitians and psychologists. Patients can also attend monthly
support group meetings at Altoona Hospital Campus.
Matthew E. Newlin,
M.D., FACS
Scot A. Currie, D.O., FACOS
Program Alert! Is gastric bypass surgery for you? See calendar insert for details, date and time
Consider Altoona Regional
in your year-end giving
As 2011 nears an end, you may be considering year-end giving, including a charitable
donation to Altoona Regional.
Gifts to the Foundation for Life are invested in equipment, facilities and services that all
members of our community may one day need.
“Gifts are increasingly important to Altoona Regional’s efforts to provide exceptional
health care for our community,” said Fred Thursfield, Foundation president. “And there
are many ways to give.”
Gift Annuity
Stock
or
Cash
Gift
Donor
Cash gifts
Most donations received by the Foundation are by check or credit card. If you wish to
honor or pay tribute to a loved one, just let us know who should be notified of your gift.
You can donate online by visiting www.altoonaregional.org and clicking on Give a Gift.
It’s quick and secure.
Gifts of securities
Stocks, bonds, mutual funds or other securities may be the
ideal gift for you to make to a charity, especially if they have
appreciated in value. You receive credit for the value of your
gift on the date of its receipt. Plus, by making such a gift, you
avoid capital gains taxes and broker fees. Foundation staff can
work with you and your broker to arrange electronic transfer of
your securities.
“Gifts are
increasingly
important ...
to provide
exceptional
health care.”
IRA donation
If you are over 70 ½, you may want to consider giving a portion of your IRA account to a charity. The federal government again this year permits you to roll over a portion of your IRA without increasing your taxable income or paying additional tax. Tax-free rollover gifts can be made for up to $100,000. You only need to contact your
IRA custodian and request that an amount be transferred to the Foundation for Life.
Life insurance
As your family grows up, you may find you have more life insurance than you need.
Donation of a paid-up or whole life insurance contract would be a truly meaningful
gift to the Foundation. And you get a tax deduction equal to the cash value of your life
insurance contract.
In-kind donations
The Foundation will acknowledge an in-kind gift upon acceptance. Under IRS statute,
determining its value is the responsibility of the donor and may, at times, necessitate
an appraisal.
Gift of land or real estate
In some instances, a gift of real estate may provide benefit to both the donor and the
charity. Your tax adviser or financial adviser can help you determine whether such a
gift might be of benefit to you. If you are considering such a gift, please contact us
as soon as possible so we can provide information on substantiating ownership and
estimating property value, and on the acceptability of the gift.
Please contact the Foundation for Life
at 889.6406 if you have questions or
would like additional information.
Additional information is also available
at http://altoonaregional.giftlegacy.com.
A life without worry:
Consider a charitable
gift annuity
In a world that offers an uncertain
tomorrow, people search for
certainty today. A charitable gift
annuity gives you the security of
knowing you will receive fixed
payments for as long as you live.
Reliable payments are only the
beginning. You will also receive an
income tax deduction this year for
part of the funding amount. If you
fund your gift annuity by transferring
an appreciated asset such as stock,
there are also capital gains benefits.
Finally, after a lifetime of payments
to you, the remaining funds go to
support our mission.
For more information on the possible
benefits of a charitable gift annuity,
call the Foundation office at 889.6406
or go to our Web site at: http://
altoonaregional.giftlegacy.com.
The Altoona Regional Health System Foundation for Life
is a private, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization which exists
to inspire gifts from individuals, foundations, corporations
and other entities to support the preservation of health
care for the well-being of community members in Central Pennsylvania. Because the Foundation for Life is a qualified charitable organization, donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
Come celebrate the season
Join us for the Foundation for Life’s annual Holiday Splendor event
at The Calvin House on Friday, Nov. 11.
This seasonal fund-raising event features champagne, great food,
delicious desserts, festive entertainment and the opportunity to bid on sensational auction items, holiday trees and baskets.
Proceeds from this year’s Holiday Splendor will help buy equipment
for diagnosis and management of diabetes, a significant problem in
this area.
For ticket information or information on sponsorship
packages, please call Shirley Hoyne at 889.7673.
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Altoona Hospital Campus
620 Howard Avenue
Altoona, PA 16601-4899
Non-Profit
Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Altoona Regional
Health System
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A nonprofit community health care system
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Bob Strawser is executive director of Mission Services at Altoona Regional, a role
that also includes responsibility for customer service and patient satisfaction.
What is HCAHPS?
HCAHPS
(pronounced
“H-caps”) stands for
Hospital Consumer
Assessment of Healthcare
Providers and Systems.
It is the first national,
standardized, publicly
reported survey of patients’
opinions of hospital care.
The survey is conducted on behalf of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services.
Until HCAHPS, there was
no national standard for
collecting and publicly
reporting information about
patient satisfaction that
allowed valid comparisons
to be made across
hospitals locally, regionally
and nationally.
Why is HCAHPS important?
r
o
f
The survey is administered
to a random sample of adult
patients across medical
conditions between 48
hours and six weeks after
discharge. The survey is
not restricted to Medicare
beneficiaries.
What kinds of questions do they ask?
i
l
How do Altoona Regional’s scores stack up?
Altoona Regional has
consistently
scored above both the
Pennsylvania and national
averages. As a matter of
fact, Altoona Regional’s
scores have been higher
than the Pennsylvania
average in all 10 core areas
and higher than the national
average in nine of 10.
The survey asks discharged patients
27 questions about their
recent hospital stay. It
includes 18 questions about
critical aspects of patients’
hospital experiences that
are grouped into 10 core
areas — communication
with nurses and doctors,
responsiveness of
hospital staff, cleanliness
and quietness of the
hospital environment,
pain management,
The HCAHPS survey can
produce data that
helps people
make objective
and meaningful
comparisons of
hospitals on topics
that are important
to them. It helps
them become
more-informed
consumers.
p
communication about
medicines, discharge
information, overall rating
of hospital, and would they
recommend the hospital.
The public reporting of
survey results makes
information available about
the quality of hospital
care and creates new
incentives for hospitals
to improve their quality
of care. The signing of
the Patient Protection
and Affordable Care Act
established a value-based
purchasing plan whereby
reimbursement for services
can be increased or
reduced based on how well
hospitals do in the survey.
Patient satisfaction has
always been a priority
at Altoona Regional.
We have been tracking
HCAHPS scores since 2006
and making necessary
adjustments to ensure they
demonstrate that we exceed
patient expectations.
Because of reform, the
survey demonstrates that
hospitals must not only
provide exceptional clinical
care but an environment
where patients feel their total
experience was satisfying.
Are HCAHPS scores available to the public?
CMS publishes
participating hospitals’ HCAHPS results on the Hospital
Compare Web site (www.hospitalcompare.hhs.
gov) four times a year, with
the oldest quarter of patient surveys rolling off as the
most recent quarter rolls on.
A downloadable version of HCAHPS results
is also available through this Web site.
Additional HCAHPS results
can be found on
HCAHPS On-Line, (www.
hcahpsonline.org), including
a summary of state and
national results.
e
Bob has a master’s in Health Administration from Penn State and a background in behavioral health
administration. He joined Bon Secours-Holy Family in 1998 and has been with Altoona Regional since the merger in 2004.
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